That apparently won't stop Mortimer from attempting to push the new designation through in the final weeks of his administration. His reason: If he doesn't, Bluffdale will lose 4,000 acres - and the potential for even more - in a de-annexation lawsuit.

The first step of his efforts happened Tuesday night as the Bluffdale Planning Commission recommended - on a 4-1 vote - that the City Council rezone the land. The vote also changed Bluffdale's land use map, meaning the southwest corner of the city now is considered for a “mixed use” development instead of 5-acre lots.

“It's clear that this is being done in haste,” said Nancy Lord, who was voted onto the City Council in November.

Planning Commission members balked at the accusation.

“This has been years in progress,” said Tina Perkins, a member of the commission. “I don't want the public to think this was rushed through.”

Voters in November opted for candidates who apparently oppose the development.

That leaves Mortimer until Jan. 3 to make the deal happen. And to do that, Mortimer has proposed the city rezone the land and then sign a development agreement with developers, Sorenson Real Estate, and Development Associates.

The two developers have attempted to disconnect their acreage from Bluffdale because they initially couldn't get their plans approved. They sued in 3rd District Court to de-annex from the city.

Litigation had been off for more than a year as the city and the developers worked out a deal. But all attempts have been blocked by residents.

In the first effort, the city created a new zone to approve the project under. Residents with the group known as Bluffdale United blocked that with a referendum.

The second effort was also blocked by Bluffdale United, which convinced a judge that signing off on the deal would make him the de facto zoning administrator for the city.

This third effort is a rezone in which the developers could bring high- and low-density housing along with a mixture of businesses and retailers.

It's the density that some residents opposed. In some areas builders could install 18 apartments per acre. The project's overall density is 2.6 units for every acre. Bluffdale is built on primarily 1-acre lots.